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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · patient · leaves · stick · scale · bowl · mark · charge

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mark — a grade
  5. row — to paddle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. charge — in control
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. scale — size or range
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. scale — in music
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. row — a line
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. charge — a price
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com